Beyond the Plan
by XxMRCxX
Summary: "You know, what would happen if it were just the two of us left standing? Would we fight to the death, or…" She stops there, but then I answer, "If we were the last two standing, then I would sacrifice myself in order to get you out of that hell hole." AU, Multiple POVs, Rated T for swearing and violence...IN-PROGRESS...first story.
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue, Reaping

**Hello! This is my first story and sorry for some grammar issues. Hope you enjoy!**

_District seven isn't __exactly the sort of district that trains kids to prepare for the Hunger Games. Unlike your typical district, one and two, who always have their children train for their games. Later volunteering for the games and becoming career tributes._

_District seven is known as the lumber district. Yeah your average district that produces their own product that they are supposed to produce for the Capitol. Though, as people told me, I'm not like anyone in my district. I don't help my parents cut down trees, distribute wood, build stuff. My parents don't want that. Since I was their only child, they worry about me becoming a tribute in one of the Hunger Games, so, at the age of five, they instead they take advantage of the forest environment and secretly teach me how to fight, how to survive in the wild, and how to protect myself, making me home schooled. My family has been inheriting these techniques ever since the games started. Amazing how none of them have become a tribute._

_They taught me how you can tell how sharp a weapon is (by observing the blades of the axes and finding which one slices a tree with the least cuts), how to climb trees in a matter of seconds, and how to aim projectiles like arrows or knives. We improvised using kitchen knives and arrows made from scratch to practice with. They also trained me to be diverse with my weapons._

Later, when I was still five, I was wandering about in the park all by myself. I found a boy being bullied by a group of kids my age, surrounding him and kicking him to a pulp.

"Hey!" I shout. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Well what does it look like, bird brain?" one of the girls said.

She was blonde and she gave me an evil glare with her oblivious dark eyes. Her eyes were so dark, it almost seemed like she was a human possessed by a demon. That word really ticked me off. To hold my anger in, I shrugged. This gave her such a face that you know you really annoyed the heck out of her.

"Beat it, bird brain," she said as she waves a hand and turns back to the boy.

I walk towards her, and yank her hair, pulling her head directly towards my knee. She falls to the ground and runs off crying. I look back to the group of kids, who are staring right at me and scatter off running, leaving the beaten boy lying on the ground.

I walk to him and try to help him up, but he was too weak to stand. He had a brown bowl hair cut that was covering his eye brows, his clothes worn out and full of mud, and had bruises all over his body, including a black eye. I look around, but there were no adults or parents near by.

"Where are your mommy and daddy?" I ask.

The boy doesn't even look me in the eye, he just looks out in the distance, as if he was zoned out, but he finally answers, "I ran away from them."

Guilt and pity washed over my heart. I wrap his arm around my shoulders and help him up, then sit him down on the nearest bench before asking, "What is your name?"

He finally looks at me with his hazel eyes. "Ian, what's yours?"

"Ruby," I smile. As we sit there for an hour, bringing up conversations, getting to know each other, I husk him around my shoulders again and bring him to my house.

* * *

"Umm, Ruby, who is this boy?" my mom asks as she opens the front door.

"My new friend," I answer. Her eyes lit up, and she fixes her posture. "Can he sleep over?"

My mom gives me a confused look before answering, "Sure, help yourself in the kitchen, you can eat anything we've got."

_My family is pretty wealthy compared to my peers in district seven. We could buy anything in these walls, well of course I don't mean literally._

"Thank you," Ian said and smiles and walks towards the kitchen.

As I walk inside and I gesture her to lower herself for me to whisper to her. She does so and I whisper, "We will talk later." She nods and follows Ian to the kitchen.

"So who's the new boy?" my dad asks as he reads back to his newspaper. "You don't usually invite friends to the house, or at all."

_My parents know that I don't normally have any friends, which worries them, but I've __always told them that I've __always wanted to be alone, and that I don't really want to get to know people. I don't know why, but Ian was different._

"Yeah, well I found Ian in the park," I answer. "I found him being bullied. Seeing how he was dirty and all and how there wasn't any other parents around, I asked where his were and he said that he ran away from them."

I observe my dad's face and I can tell it was a "So that explains everything," face. He sighs and says, "Okay, but how would we know that we can trust this young boy to sleep over?"

"We're just going to have to wait and see for ourselves," I smile. "So, do you think we can adopt him? I've always wanted to have a brother," I giggle.

My dad looks at me with a flabbergasted look, but then smiles, "Maybe…let's see what your mom says."

* * *

**Ian's POV**

_It's really nice how Ruby let me stay in her house for a little while. I feel that I owe her big time._

For now, Ruby's mom is trying to pick up a conversation from where I met Ruby, to where I came from. She was giving me no expression or emotion to anything that I have been explaining to her. She was just listening as I eat my sandwich.

However, her expression changed as she asked, "So, what are you going to do after you leave?" Her voice seemed a little shaky, and her face looked nervous and insecure.

"I don't know, I wasn't really expecting anyone to let me stay at their house," I say shyly.

She brightens up, giving me a wide smile and her voice became excited, "Well, you're welcome to stay anytime you want. Heck, I can probably adopt you! We have plenty of room and you can accompany Ruby!"

_Well that escalated quickly._

"I'm going to cook something up for dinner. That sandwich isn't going to be enough to fill you up." She turns and mumbles something that I can barely hear, "Finally, Ruby won't be alone anymore."

* * *

**Third Person POV**

Dinner sits out all over the table as everyone sits there quietly eating their food. There was a displeasing silence surrounding the room until Ruby's mom says something.

"So…love…what do you think about adopting…" her sentence stops there. Ruby's dad looks straight at his daughter as she looks back at him with the same astounded face.

Then he looks at his loving wife and answers, "Well…you see…Ruby and I-"

Ruby interrupts by giving her father a formidable glare. With a face that says, "Don't bring me into this; this is a decision between you and YOUR wife!"

"I mean I was thinking about that too," he says nervously.

Ruby's mom keeps a straight calm face with her head up high. _We are going to adopt him and Ruby WILL be happy and so will we!_ "Good, so we're on the same page. So…are we adopting him or not?"

She darts her eyes straight at her husband, knowing that he must say yes no matter what she says. Ruby and Ian look at each other in terror.

"Y-yes…yes we are adopting Ian. I'll fill out all the papers," Ruby's dad says as he quickly looks straight at his food.

"Good, welcome to the family Ian."

* * *

**Ruby's POV**

_Ever since Ian joined the family, he and I trained together for the Hunger Games. Finally, when we reached sixteen, we weren't __afraid of the reaping anymore._

The reaping has begun. Before Tia was able to pick the name from the bowl in the female side, I raise my hand, "I volunteer as tribute!"

Everyone looks straight at me. They all look perplexed, maybe even frightened. So, to avoid any more faces, I walk towards the stage and stand next to Tia.

"Wow! Our first volunteer," she says.

Then, she begins to grab a name from the boy's side until…

"I volunteer as tribute!"

All the faces look towards the boy with hair that flows to his forehead, making his bangs spiky. Their faces looked even more stunned than when they looked at me, but I smirked.

"Wow! Two volunteers? How interesting!" Tia cheers.

Ian and I stare at each other before shaking hands. He smiles at me, but I give him a straight face. _This is all going according to plan, but I'm not even sure if I'm ready to let him go._

We face the crowd and Tia raises both our hands high. "To our two 74th Hunger Games tributes!" Tia shouts. Instead of clapping, they salute us. I think I even saw one of the kids tear up.

* * *

**Ian's POV**

We sit next to each other in the train and I keep thinking to myself, _We've __been training with each other our whole lives for this. We've __been training with each other our whole lives for this!_

_Knowing how Ruby has been training for the Hunger Games and eventually telling me that she was considering in volunteering, I've __always wondered why. So, since she was going out there in the arena with someone she probably barely knows, instead why not I volunteer with her to protect her? I mean, I do owe her my life for the things she has done for me. If it weren't __for her, I probably would've __suicide a long time ago. I don't think I have a purpose in life except protecting my beloved sister._

Later in the train she asks me, "You know, what would happen if it were just the two of us left standing? Would we fight to the death, or…"

She stops there, but then I answer, "If we were the last two standing, then I would sacrifice myself in order to get you out of that hell hole."

Ruby looks at me appalled, but then lays her head on my shoulder. With this sort of gesture and the look on her face, I know she needs comfort_. I've __always been learning her looks and emotions ever since we were five._

So, I do what I usually do to keep her calm and soothed. I pet her head, grooming her hair, and hug her as close as I can, laying my head on hers and my arm around her shoulder. I'm specifically like her supportive older brother.


	2. Chapter 2 - Show Off!

**I made a lot of references in this one...enjoy!**

Today is the day when we meet our mentors before we start training.

"Alright, so what are your names?" one of our mentors asked.

"I'm Ruby, and this is Ian," Ruby introduced.

"I am Johanna and this is Blight," Johanna said. "But you can call me Jo, for short."

"Nice to meet you Jo," Ruby smiled as she shook both of the mentor's hands before I did too.

"So, what are your talents?" Jo asked.

"Well…" Ruby said shyly puzzled. Johanna and Blight give each other baffled looks as they see Ruby in her thinking face.

"Oh come on, there has got to be at least one talent you can use in the games!" Johanna shouted.

_It's not that she doesn't __know any talents it's just that she's so diverse she doesn't __even know which one to pick out._

So, instead of waiting for her to answer, I speak for her. "Well, she's a master in sword fighting, knife throwing, and archery," I said.

Jo and Blight stare at each other for a moment. "Impressive," Blight says and smiles at me politely. "What are you go-"

"A master of all that and not any axes? You're from district seven, the lumber district! How can you not be a master of axes?" Jo impedes. In response, Ruby rubs the back of her neck.

"Anyways," Blight sighs. "What are you talented in, boy?"

"I'm good at assassinating and throwing knives," I answer. _I'm more of a sneaky type of person while Ruby is more of a long ranged sort of person._

"Interesting," Blight said as he strokes his beard.

"I'd like to see those talents with my own eyes," Jo said, crossing her arms.

Ruby and I look at each other and say, "Okay."

* * *

**Ruby's POV**

After showing off my so called "talents" to my mentors, Ian and I head to the training center to meet up with other tributes.

"This is a chance to intimidate the other tributes," Ian whispered. We both chuckle and wander off with each other.

I stare at the careers as they train one by one, showing off their skills and their style of fighting. I can tell that they already teamed up considering how they are grouped. I can sense Ian looking at me and looking back at the tributes.

"You know, if you want to join them so badly, you can always ask," Ian says in a low tone voice.

"I can't" I say. "I can tell how conceited and arrogant they are. They probably might think that I'm not good enough."

"Who cares what they think? Besides, you are so distinct with your weapons how can they not accept you? I've trained with you for about eleven years, and I know that you're skilled." Ian sighs and continues as he observes one of the careers, "Besides look at that district one dude throwing that spear. You can easily dodge it and counter with a knife."

He points out another career that comes by at a station of targets, and throws knives as each of the bill boards blink. "Look at that district two girl throwing knives. She can throw one knife at one enemy, but you can throw an unlimited amount of knives at least at two enemies simultaneously."

He points out another career tribute that's using a bow and arrow. "That district one girl isn't much of a sharpshooter. Compared to you, she's nothing."

Then, he points out the final career tribute. A big, buff, blonde dude who practices with his sword, cutting and stabbing each dummy that surrounds him. _He looks pretty cute._ "And that district two dude. He may be big, strong, and good at wielding that swords, but he's no match for your swordsmanship and speed. You've been practicing fencing since the age of ten."

"Who said that?!" the boy shouted. Ian and I quickly look at each other, pretending that we didn't relate to whatever got him angry.

"You're probably hearing things, Cato," the male tribute from district one says. Cato just growls and goes back to his training.

I turn my head back to Cato, "observing" him even more. "Why are you staring at him like that?" Ian asks, giving me an odd look and then smirking at me. "Ahh, I see." He comes in closer to my ear and whispers, "You like him don't you?"

I blush and my face is flushed with red skin. "Shut up!" I whisper-shout.

"Hey check out those losers!"

I look towards one of the careers, who was the blondie that used the bow and arrow. _It's that district one girl._ Ian glares at the group, but I just keep an emotionless face at them.

"What are you looking at?" the girl continues.

"Come on Ruby, let's not waste our time," Ian whispers, pulling me to a different spot.

"Hey! Instead of staring at us, why not you show us what you got?" the district one boy calls.

Ian and I gaze at each other for a moment. "As you wish, come on Ruby, show'em what'chu got!" Ian says, patting my back before setting up.

"No wait!" I whisper-shout to Ian.

"What? Don't you want to show them what you're made of?"

"I can't…"

"Why not?"

"Because…because I'm nervous okay!"

* * *

**Ian's POV**

_Nervous? I'm sorry, did I just hear Ruby…RUBANNA ROSE…say that she was nervous?_

"Don't be shy. Just pretend that they're not there," I say, laying my hand on her shoulder and give her a comforting smile to brighten things up. "but don't show too much."

She giggles and nods before walking past them towards the rack of swords. I can feel the ominous glares that we are receiving from the careers as we past them. I follow behind her and prepare the dummies in a position that fits her fighting style.

I set the dummies in a parallel line ten on each side and one at the middle in the end of both lines.

As I prepare for her, she picks a sword from the racks, examining every one of them she picks. Finally, she smiles, bringing her and her sharp weapon towards the set up.

"Finally done shopping, princess?" I tease.

She smirks at me and punches my shoulder…HARD. "Shut up!"

I laugh before backing off and letting her practice.

* * *

**Ruby's POV**

I get my sharp sword and crack my neck, preparing myself. I back at the careers; they are watching me very closely. I look at Ian, he gestures a thumbs up and a smile.

I get in my stance and dash forward with a 360 clockwise spin. I slice all the enemies surrounding me, cutting six dummies in half, between the torso and the pelvis, with one slice. I do another spin, but this time counter-clockwise and I cleave another six dummies. Finally, I do a front flip, raising my sword up high and slicing the dummy in front of me, in half, straight in the center. My landing also made a knock up, shaking the floor and knocking down the other two dummies.

I grab the throwing knives and daggers I grabbed earlier, but Ian stops my hand, clenching my wrist and looking at me straight in the eyes. He gets closer to whisper in my left ear, "Don't show too much or they might consider you a threat."

I look back at the careers, and they give me startled, amused looks. He lets go and I put away the daggers and knives. He then pushes me towards the careers, but I try to push back and away from them, but it was too late.

The district two girl and Cato whisper in the background while the district one tributes greet and introduce themselves. "Hey, I'm Marvel and this is Glimmer, my district partner," the district one tribute says as he lets out a hand.

"Nice to meet you guys, I'm Ruby," I say insecurely. "and this is Ian, my brother."

Ian waves and they wave back, but they give us peculiar looks. Then, Cato and his district partner walk by and join the group. "Hey, I'm Clove," she smiles and she shakes my hand. "and this is Cato." I glance at Cato, but he seems pretty angry, so I quickly look away.

"Say…" she continues. "Do you mind joining us in our alliance?"

In the outside, I know I look calm, emotionless, filled with pride, but inside I know I'm excited and eager. _I'm joining forces with a highly skilled group in the Hunger Games!_

* * *

_A few weeks later…_

It's finally my turn to meet in a private session with the game-makers. As I walk in, they all became silent from their chit-chat, watching me as I enter. _What made them silent? Is it really just me?_

The training center was all opened, but there was a perfect display of weapons I mainly use: some throwing knives, a bow and arrow, and a sword. When I observed the sword, luckily it was sharper than the one I used to show off my skills in front of the careers. _They know me so well._

I take a quick glance at the practice arena. There was the same set up as the one Ian set up a few weeks ago, but this arena was different. It was as if it was perfectly made for me and my skills. There was a set up for my sword fighting style, a set up for my archery fighting style, and a set up for my dagger fighting style, no other stations were opened or even there. _My mentors must of set recommendations for Ian and I._

I take everything from the display and put all the weapons in a comfortable position where I can easily equip it. It was hard for my suit, considering I don't have any pockets, so I had to improvise.

I start with the sword set up. I get my sword out and I do the same technique I did to show off the careers, but this time there was a dummy behind the one at the middle. So, after I rent the center dummy, I threw my sword straight at the heart of the dummy behind it, piercing right through it and knocking it down to the floor.

Then I equip my throwing knives and daggers and move on to the throwing knives set up. I walk in between two dummies that stand facing each other. I do my special technique: the death lotus. As I twirl and spin, I throw multiple daggers at both of the dummies simultaneously.

Then, when they finally knock to the ground, I make front flips, while throwing daggers, towards another circle of dummies. Flipping faster and faster until I past the opening of the circle and reach the center, I make an upside down, mid-air twirl, throwing a spin of daggers towards the surrounding dummies, and to finish it off, I make a 360 spin throwing another fan of daggers.

I rush back to the display to equip the bow and arrows. The arrows weren't metal, nor as tough as I thought they were. They were sort of plastic and lightweight. Instead of putting the bow and arrows around my torso, I wrap the arrow holder belt around my waste. I grab three arrows in my hand and look back at the game-makers, and they give me baffled looks, but I didn't care. _I just want to get this over with._

So, I point my bow towards the heart of the target and shoot each arrow in my hand one at a time, shooting with fierce attack speed. Each arrow pierced the other except for the third one. _Phew, finally I'm done with this crap._ I stare back at the astonished faces of the game-makers before walking to the exit, hiding my smirk with a sense of pride.

As I meet Ian outside, he asks with his innocent voice, "So, how did you do?"

"Ehh," I answer with half a smile.

"That's a lie, you know that you did perfect. I bet that you're going to get a twelve!"

"No I'm not, that score is impossible!" _But then again whenever Ian says "he bets" it always turns out true._

* * *

It's time for the announcements for the private session scores. Once they reach district seven, Caesar announces:

"Ian Rose…ten."

Tia, our mentors, and our stylists cheer and congratulate Ian until they finally announce my score.

"Rubanna Rose…" There was a moment of silence, longer than when he waited for Ian's score to announce, but then he finally says, "twelve."

Everyone is the room including myself gives an astounded face with gaped mouths to the TV, except for Ian since he knew it was coming so instead he give a big smirk.

"I told you so."

* * *

It's time for the interviews. Apparently ladies go first before their other district partner goes. So, I'll be going before Ian. Once it reaches my turn, I get nervous and walk up to the chair in the middle of the stage.

I wear a short purple dress that flows when I twirl along with matching necklace and earrings with purple gems and a purple headband.

"Wow, you look gorgeous, Rubanna!" Caesar compliments.

"Thank you, you don't look bad yourself. Right?" I smile in the crowd. The crowd roars and cheers.

"Well then, thank you. So, from what I've seen you and your brother, Ian, were the first tributes from district seven to ever volunteer in the Hunger Games. What do you think of that, fighting your own brother? Were you two planning this all along?"

"To be honest Caesar, yes, my brother and I both were planning on competing in the Hunger Games sometime, but I wasn't expecting him to compete in the same games as I was. I only wanted to join the Hunger Games for the sake of my family, hoping that if I win then I can get my family and I into Victor's Village for a better life."

"Ahh, yes, well that is a high risk high play you're making there. I also heard that you and Ian made an alliance with the careers. It seems pretty interesting how you manage to impress the careers, enough to invite you into their group."

"Yeah, well all I did was just show off my skills and they seemed pretty impressed so they asked me if I'd like them, and so I accepted. I'd always love to join a group so skillful in fighting just like I am."

"Impressive!" he gives me a wide smile. "Well, I'd love to ask a million more questions, but it seems that your time is up. Rubanna Rose everybody!" The crowd cheers and whistles as I exit the stage.

* * *

**Ian's POV**

After Ruby, it's my turn. _I wonder what sort of questions Caesar will ask me ._One of the producers pull me in form the back and guide me to the stage. I walk in with my navy blue tuxedo with a sky blue boy tie.

"You look very smooth Ian," Caesar says pointing two index fingers at me as if his hands were guns.

I give Caesar the same gesture. "Thanks Caesar," I wink to him and to the crowd and I hear some girls squeal. _I didn't __think I was that charming._

"So, you and your sister chose to volunteer for the Hunger Games. Why did you choose to volunteer?"

"Well, ever since I was a child, I owed Ruby my life for all the things she has done for me throughout the years. So, in order to repay her, I might as well join the Hunger Games with her protect her. Without her I wouldn't have a purpose in life."

The crowd gasps in awe, while Caesar gives me a bewildered face. "Wow, how comforting." He bends down, leaning closer to me. "However, if you two were to be the last ones standing, what do you think you two will do?"

"Well, like what I told Ruby, I would sacrifice my life for her to win. No question about it."

There was an ominous silence and he finally asks one more question. "Okay, before you leave, let me ask you this." He leans back on his chair, raising his right ankle to rest on his left thigh, and clams his hands together on top of his shin. "What were to happen if Ruby dies?"

I stay silent for a moment before finally answering, "Then I would do the best I can to win for her. Though, Ruby's skills are far stronger than mine, I highly doubt that she wouldn't make it out alive. Otherwise, if she's gone I would strive to do what she couldn't: get her family into Victor's Village."

"Wow, well you have a very heart-warming heart. I would love to listen more about how much you care about your Ruby-Gem, but I'm afraid that your time is up. Everyone, give it up for Ian Rose!"

The crowd roars, cheers and cries. I wave as I exit the stage, and hug Ruby just as I see her.


	3. Chapter 3 - Let the Games Commence!

_The time has come._

I stand in an elevator with my main mentor, Jo, as we talk about last tips before the game.

"Since you're one of the careers now and how you have pretty awesome skills, I think you should be able to make it out alive in the Cornucopia Blood-Bath," Jo says. "However, though you're in an alliance, you can't always trust anyone. Remember that!"

"Got it!" I answer. The elevator door opens and I give her one last hug before a good-bye.

"Good luck, and may the odds be in your favor," Johanna says as I exit the elevator and the door closes. There I meet up with my stylist, Amanda, where I apply my uniform and receive my token…or I thought I was getting my token.

Then, she walks me to the pod. As I stand before it, she finally hands me my token and clutch my hand when I least expected it.

"It's not much, but it should be enough to cheer things up. I heard you normally use this to calm you down, or brighten you up if you're feeling down. I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to give you this, but apparently the Peacekeepers approved of it so…here," Amanda said, finally letting go, revealing my MP3 before hugging me. "Good luck," she whispers.

_Ian and I each got an MP3 from a friend in district three when we were twelve. We've __been receiving electronics since we were seven, as our birthday gifts from our family friends in district three._

"Thank you, and don't worry, I will win. I know it," I said before blow kissing her good-bye as I rise up from the pod.

As I appear from the pod with the other tributes, the countdown was already at ten. I look around and see that almost everyone was prepping to run towards the Cornucopia. So, I prepare myself too.

"Let the 74th annual Hunger Games commence, and may the odds be ever in your favor. 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1."

I can spot Ian just two pods away from me. He and I both rush straight towards the Cornucopia after the signal. After that, I blacked out. I don't remember a thing during that bloody event.

* * *

**Ian's POV**

I rush in with Ruby to get our weapons first before anyone else does, but Clove was the first to get her weapons. Luckily, she chose not to harm Ruby, nor me, but in a matter of seconds she has already killed the district nine male tribute with her throwing knife.

I scout the Cornucopia and spot Marvel stabbing the district eight male with a kukri, Ruby shooting a dagger at the district ten female, Glimmer ferociously stabbing the district six female, and Cato finding some equipment before killing some other tributes.

I find the district nine female and take the chance to stab her in the back while I can. After a second scope, the district five male cleaves the district three female on the forehead with a sickle, but then being pinned down and stabbed by Glimmer.

I then see Cato, tripping the district six male and then being slashed with a knife. He then equips his machete and then slices the district four male's throat. I turn to Ruby as she slices the district four girl in half, cutting between the torso and the pelvis. Finally, the Cornucopia Blood-Bath is over, and the forest became silent. The endless sounds of cannons began to surround the arena.

We grabbed everything we could before we had out to the forest, hunting for other tributes. When morning struck to night, the portraits of all the tributes that died in the Blood-Bath began appearing among the sky, but then we spot a fire in the forest. Of course, we sneak towards it and find the district eight female sitting among the campfire. Cato injures the girl before handing his sword to Glimmer to finish her off.

**_BOOM!_**

As we continue wandering among the trees, Ruby and I listen to the sudden whistling of grass nearby. She stops me for a moment and look towards some shaking shrubs. She slowly rushes over to it, raises her sword up high, and slices through the shrubs along with a splat of blood scattering all over the place. I walk towards the scene and find the district ten male's torso sticking out of the bush.

**_BOOM!_**

After that sight, I can hear branches be crushed from a few yards away. "Wait here, I'll be right back," I whisper to Ruby before heading out. She nods at me and watches me climb the trees and hop off.

As I stay high up in the trees I spot a figure beneath me. It was the district twelve boy, Peeta. I lick my lips as I pull out my knife. _The first time I feel bloodthirsty._

Trying my best to be as quiet as possible while climbing down, I manage to land on a perfect branch above my target to assassinate my prey. As he leans on the tree looking as if there is no one around, I take this advantage and jump up from the branch, landing right on top of him, pinning him down.

"Any last words, Lover-boy?" I tease.

He doesn't answer; instead his heavy breathing speaks up for it. _I guess I might as well end his life before he gets a heart attack._

"Well, I guess you'll meet your beloved Catnip at the other side," I said before stabbing him continuously in the face. _That felt good! Wait…what have I become?_

* * *

**Ruby's POV**

The group and I wait for Ian at the spot where I killed the district ten boy. Finally a cannon fires…

**_BOOM!_**

and Peeta's picture pops up in the sky.

"Well, so much for Lover-boy," Clove said with a smirk.

"I guess he and Fire Girl are doomed to be mutt bait," I laugh. The rest of the group looks at me with a smile. A few minutes later, Ian comes by covered in blood and looks away from me. The group and I continue off in the forest, but I walk beside Ian.

Ian looks down at the floor with a look that seemed so reluctant. "You know, you had no choice Ian. You were bound to kill him sometime," I whisper. "Besides, you didn't seem so down when you killed some tributes back in the Cornucopia."

"I know, I know…but killing Peeta made me feel different. I felt power…I felt…bloodthirsty! It feels like a sin, like I've dishonored our family. You know how our family is!" he whisper-shouts.

"Don't worry; this will be over before you know it. Besides, haven't we been preparing for this since we were five? Preparing ourselves to kill others? It doesn't sound right, but if mom and dad did this for us to survive, then we shouldn't put this training to waste."

* * *

**Ian's POV**

_Over when you know it? More like over before you know you've __gone insane! I'm not like Ruby, having all this voracity for savagery, despite the family's religious beliefs. I mean, we're all humans, and we were bound to find that savagery, but this was not how I was expecting to experience it. Before I know it, I might break that promise and maybe…Though that power of overpowering someone though…it felt so good! It felt like I can overpower anything!_

When the "sun" rises, we rush back to the Cornucopia, but instead of the weapons that we were expecting, we find piles, stocks, of food! We also encounter the district three boy who knew how to plant and replant mines. For now, we kept him alive.

Once we head back into the forest to hunt for more tributes, we leave the boy to keep watch for the food. A few hours later, we hear an explosion. We all run towards the sound and found the whole area of food…gone, with the remains of the markings left from the impact.

We walk around the scene to check if there is any food left, but all we found was the district three punk walking around, astonished as he pulls his hair and walks back and forth. Cato was left on a rampage and twists the neck of the boy before he could even react to anything.

However, I hear a rush of whistling bushes and cracked branches from afar. Ruby and I exchange looks, knowing she heard them too, we dash towards the bushes.

"Hurry up!" I shout without having an explanation. I didn't turn back, but then I hear the rest of the group follow behind us as we rush past plants and trees.

"We're almost there!" Ruby calls as she points out to me the district twelve girl, Katniss, climbing up the tree. "That tree ain't going save you Fire Girl!"

"How's the weather down there?" Katniss calls.

"Well enough. Yourself?" Cato replies.

"It's a bit warm down there, the breeze is better up here. Why not you come up?"

"Think I will!" Cato attempts to climb the tree, but falls due to his heavy weight. "Damn it!"

"Here, let me take care of this," Glimmer said as she takes out her bow and arrow as she attempts to shoot Katniss, but misses. Cato gets aggravated and snatches the bow and arrow. He pursuits a shot, but also misses.

I can hear Katniss heavily breathing as she clutches to one of the branches of the tree. _Poor Catnip._

"Why not you throw a knife or a sword?" Katniss teases.

We all scowl at her, knowing that if we do throw a knife or a sword, will just give her another weapon. Exchanging looks at each other, we decide to wait her out. However, Ruby and I gaze at each other closely.

"I'll get the bow and shoot from a different angle," Ruby whispers. I smile and give way for her to get to Glimmer.

I watch them murmur to each other until Glimmer finally hands Ruby her bow. Then, Ruby walks around the tree, aiming for a perfect angle. _Finally, letting the pro do it's work._

Unlike what Glimmer and Cato did, Ruby grabs three arrows on hand before aiming them towards Katniss. _Any part of her body would be fine._ She shoots with persistent speed, shooting them one at a time, but in a matter of seconds. _Maybe even nanoseconds._ We hear a squeal and watch as Katniss plunges to the ground. Clove, hoping to finish her off…

**_BOOM!_**

stops herself from stabbing her just after the cannon fires.

"Wow! Nice shot!" Glimmer cheers.

They all stare at Ruby, mouths gaped, but there were sudden leaves falling above us and a sound of cracking from the branches. I quickly look up at the trees and see a dark figure standing among a branch.

Ruby quickly launches another arrow towards the figure, and it drops just as the arrow landed.

**_BOOM!_**

another cannon fires.


	4. Chapter 4 - Good-Bye

**Ruby's POV**

After the two cannons fire, Katniss and the district eleven girl, Rue's portrait appears at the sky. _At least we don't have to deal with having the guilt of killing a little girl, despite me barely seeing who I just killed._

After the fourth day, we wander around the forest in the night as usual…

**_BOOM!_**

The portrait of the district five girl appears on the sky. Ruby and I stare at each other, exchanging stunned looks.

"So, do we continue with the plan? There are seven of us left, and if we kill of all of the careers when they are of guard, there will be three of us left: You, me, and whoever that eleven boy, Thresh," Ian whispers very closely to my ear.

I glance at all of them closely infront of us. They don't seem to be hearing or giving any attention of us or our conversation. Then, I glance back at Ian and nod at him with a smile. I grab his collar and whisper closely to his ear.

I equip my sword as Ian equips his knife. Then we prepare each other for our targets.

Ian sneaks behind Clove and stabs her from behind, piercing through her chest. She gasps in fear before falling forward.

**_BOOM!_**

He grabs attention to the rest of the group, and I take this chance to slice Glimmer from behind the neck, beheading her.

**_BOOM!_**

I also swing my blade and thrust it through Marvel's stomach at ease.

**_BOOM!_**

Before Cato could even react, Ian grabs his daggers and aim for the weak parts of his body to impair his movements. He strikes Cato's humerus and femur bones, or specifically his biceps and thighs. Then, Cato kneels on the ground screaming in pain.

Finally, Ian and I gaze at our surroundings. There was blood and corpses everywhere, similar to the blood-bath, but a lot less. My guilt washes over my heart. _I just betrayed people who trusted me greatly. Well that's too bad, that was their mistake. This is the Hunger Games, you weren't suppose get too close with tributes from other districts, maybe not even your own district partner._ Ian takes another glance at me, but I give him a serious face, trying to hide my shame that I was prepared for.

"How can you do this to us?!" Cato growls, grinding his teeth.

"It was bound to happen, Cato," I said with a calm but heartless look. "Ian, get the medicine and heal his wounds."

"What! Why?" Ian asked, giving me a very perplexed look. "Why would we even keep one of the most feared tributes alive?"

Cato gives the same look at me, but I don't change my expression, nor do I give Ian an answer. I just wait and stare at him until he does what I say. I must let Ian remove the daggers from the wounds and heal them with medicine, or who knows whether Cato still has enough strength to kill one of us before he's long gone…supposedly. _You know what Ian says, "Better me than you right? I'm going to die anyways."_

After mending Cato's wounds, Ian ties up Cato's wrists and ankles, laying him against a tree. Then, he and I just slouch against our own thin tree near Cato's. We all face each other as I leer at Cato, Ian leering at me with a worried look, and Cato glaring furiously at the both of us. We can hear ominous howls from the other side of the arena. _This is going to be a long night._

A few hours have passed and I start to feel traumatized.

_Why can't I kill him? Why can't I kill him? WHY CAN'T I KILL HIM?_

This keeps banging in my mind whenever I take a glimpse at Cato, so then I glance at Ian.

_How can we have betrayed them? How can we have betrayed them? HOW CAN WE HAVE BETRAYED THEM? _

_Well, this isn't helping._

Either way, both thoughts were really irritating and were scratching my head. So, instead of staring at them, I just stare down at the filthy, dry dirt. There was a stiff silence emitting the air until Cato breaks it.

"What now?" Cato asked. I don't even want to deal with his depressing looks. I don't even want to answer him, but he continues, "You got me tied up and everything, why don't you just kill me?"

"Shut up!" I shout. I shoot a dagger at a lizard, but I miss by barely a centimeter. I can feel myself getting drowsy, eyes drifting, breath becoming unsteady. I can even feel myself topple down a bit to the side. So, I slouch down the tree trunk.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Ian calls shaking my shoulder, but I groan. I raise my head, but my vision is just a little blur whenever I blink or squint. "I think we should just leave, Ruby. I don't think I can trust this guy long enough for us to supervise him."

Last thing I know, I hear the boy's voices under an argument until I fall unconscious.

I wake up, startled, the next morning, and find both of the boys asleep. However, I hear grass and leaves whistling close by. I take out my sword, and slowly tip toe towards where the sound came from, hoping I wouldn't wake them up.

"Where do you think you're going, princess?" Cato asked. "Your brother wouldn't want you to wander off all alone now would he?" he teases.

I smile back at him, "Shut up. Keep quiet, I'll be back soon."

He smiles back at me as he watches me leave. That was until he and I spot a dark figure, not far from where we were at. _What do I do? That must be Thresh coming our way. I got to do something before he gets here!_

"Praise yourself," I whisper to Cato. He gives me a confused look.

I cup my hands around my mouth and make as loud of a scream as possible, a scream in fear, making the figure turn back running. Then I turn back to Cato and Ian, but all I see is a wincing Cato and an aroused Ian.

"What the hell!" Ian shouts.

"Just giving you a wakeup call," I laugh, making Cato giggle. I walk towards Cato and observe his wounds.

"They're all gone!" Cato said in amusement.

I blush, but try to hide it by turning away and mumbling, "You're welcome." I glare back at him crossing my arms. "You're lucky Ian and I have a heart."

"And when she means we, she means her," Ian snorts with a sense of laughter.

I scowl and punch him in the arm. "Come on, let's get going. We're done with him." I pull Ian close before turning away. "Hand him a knife and let's leave," I whisper.

He nods and does as he was told. Cato quickly grabs the knife, staring angrily at Ian and I. Before leaving Cato, I take one last glance at him. He looks back at me with a look that I can tell what's in his mind: _Why are they doing this for me?_

Ian tugs my arm, calling to me and saying, "Ruby, come on, let's go!" I run with him towards the Cornucopia.

* * *

**Ian's POV**

As we climb on top of the Cornucopia, we both lay down, breathing heavily through exhaustion, and sit back up once we regained our energy.

"There's something I've been meaning to give to you when it was at this time of games," I said grabbing hold of my token and handing it to Ruby, clutching her hand.

I let go, and Ruby's expression changes. Her face looks as if she was startled. She examines my MP3 and scrolls through the music.

"Check the very last song in there. That song was strictly made for you," I said with a smile. She smiles back at me and her eyes look teary. "Don't listen to it until there are two left standing, or when you're in the hovercraft to get out of here."

She cries and nods with a smile. She leans on my shoulder and holds my hand. I do that same technique to keep her calm. When the sky blends to night, another howl of mutts cry, but then we hear screams from a boy.

**_BOOM!_**

Ruby and I stand up, startled. Thresh's portrait appears in the sky. _Now all that's left is Cato, Ruby, and me. _I was flabbergasted. _This was what I was prepared for throughout all these years._ I step back and forth, pulling my hair up.

"Ian what's wrong?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing, listen, I'm going to find Cato," I answer as I drop off all of my equipment except for my knife, and jump off the Cornucopia.

"Wait, what? Why!?" she shouts, tugging my arm back up.

"I just got to locate him, okay?"

"And then what? Go back here and expect to be back alive? How is finding him significant?"

"I'm bound to die anyways, Ruby. Better for me to die in a way that you don't have to kill me and see my corpse. Right?" Saying that took some weight of my chest, but was a pain to see how Ruby would react to it.

But it was worse than I thought. She freezes and ungrasps my arm. Her body seemed shaky and her skin looked pale. _This is the first time I see Ruby actually fear something._ I kiss her on the lips. "A gift for my soul before I leave." She starts crying again, clutching my MP3.

I kiss my left index finger and draw a cross on my hand. _A symbol for prayer from where I lived. My family is very religious._ Ruby does the same thing and waves good-bye as she watches me run into the jungle.

I rush pass trees, swiftly cutting through branches and bushes. I call out Cato's name several times, but no response, nor do I hear anything or anyone nearby. That was until I heard some bushes behind me move. _Found him. There is no way he got any other weapons except for that dagger I gave him and maybe his arms if I count those._

"You're not a skilled assassin as I was Cato!" I call out. "I got senses you know, might as well come out."

Cato steps out of the bushes, laughing. He raises his hand and dagger in the air as if he was arrested.

"Do you really think you can beat me, seven?" Cato laughs. "You may be skilled and all, but I don't think you're skilled enough to beat me."

"Says the dude who collapsed after I threw four daggers at you," I smirk.

"Touché."

I walk to him, handing my knife, and take a step back. "I'm all yours."

He gives a hard look at me, looking lost. "Too easy. Where's Ruby Gem?"

"Find out yourself, but I won't lie to you, she isn't here."

"Well, then…" he twirls the knife in the air and catches it. "Why should I even bother? This isn't fun."

_If he isn't going to kill me then…_

I grab his wrist that holds the knife and I pull directly to my chest. I clench my teeth to hold in my cry in pain.

"Hey! What the fuck!" Cato shouts.

I feel drowsy and collapse to the ground, closing my eyes. I feel cold and everything goes dark, I can even barely hear Cato shouting at me for whatever reason until…

**_BOOM!_**

the cannon fires. That was the last thing I hear.

* * *

**Ruby's POV**

Here I am sitting on top of the Cornucopia, leaning on the horn, and listening to the song that Ian gifted me. Playing it over and over and over and over…

I hear barking, along with heavy breathing from the forest. I prepare my bow and grab my three arrows. I see a big blonde dude climb on the Cornucopia with a whole pack of mutts chasing behind him.

I watch as he pulls his whole body on the Cornucopia. I don't even think he's aware of me. He just looks down at the mutts and takes a few steps away from the edge. However, I shoot my three arrows straight at both of his biceps and his right knee. _He's a dead man now._

But then I glance at the mutts. Barking at me, growling, clawing on the Cornucopia, and trying to climb up. _It sickens me just like that little blonde girl back when I was five._ I grab my equipment and jump off the Cornucopia.

"What the fuck are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?" Cato shouts, but I ignore him and focus on the mutts. I attack them exactly how I attack the dummies back at the private session in the training center. The 360 spins, the flips, the twirls, everything, until all the mutts were dead. Then I climb back up the Cornucopia.

"So that's how you got a twelve," he snorts.

I walk to his right side and kneel beside him. "It's a pity to see such a talented man let his arrogance and temper get to him."

"Go ahead. Shoot, see if I care! I'm not afraid of you!" Cato shouts. "I've always wanted to die anyways. I didn't realize that until now."

_Well I don't hate him, so…I might as well make him NOT suffer HORRIBALLY through his death. Maybe the wounds I already applied to him are enough._

"Any regrets?"

"What are you waiting for? Shoot!"

"Cato…" I start feeling remorseful. Just for my pleasure, I pet his head, giving him pity eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" he cries. "You're already making me suffer, isn't that enough to please you?"

I laugh, "Who said I wanted to see you suffer?" _This is what I get for having a heart. Having the feeling of guilt after killing someone. _"I just wanted to know that you'll be okay and ready," I said with a voice that sounded hurt and shaky.

I can feel a tear starting to shed. I try to hold it in, but it falls anyways. _I REALLY feel bad._

"I'm sorry Clove, Glimmer, and Marvel. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to save you guys," he said with a serious voice, but sheds a tear and smiles. "Well, Ruby Gem, I'll see you and Ian in the other side."

I kiss him in the lips, "For the soul of Cato." I kiss my left index finger and draw a cross on my hand. "Say hi to Ian for me."

"Yeah, I will. Stop crying, it's only going to make me feel even more remorseful," he smiles and I laugh. "I'm ready. I have no regrets."

_Though I didn't know him that long, of a person with his personality and temper, this is the first time I'd actually see him in his soft state._

I wipe my tars and prepare my bow and arrow. "T-three…two…one…" I weep and close my eyes, "Good-bye Cato."

**_BOOM!_**

* * *

**Sorry if this is too boring, but I just wanted to make it dramatic. xP**


End file.
